Fish slicing and cleaning machine



E. RIVERS April 5, 1949.

FISH SLICING AND CLEANING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 9, 1946Filed D60. 9, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 1949- E. RIVERS 2,466,614

FISH SLICING AND CLEANING MACHINE EM/L 1 9/ 1/5/95 April 5, 1949. E.RIVERS FISH SLICING AND CLEANING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 9,1946 s p M R :ML.

April 5, 1949. E. RIVERS 2,466,614

FISH SLICING AND CLEANING MACHINE Filed Dec. 9, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 IApril 5, 1949. RI 2,466,614

' Filed Dec. 9, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FISH SLICING AND CLEANING MACHINEgrime/whom EMW M Patented Apr. 5, 1949 UNITED STATES: PATENT OFFICE FISHSLICING AND CLEANING MACHINE" Emil Rivers, Rockland, Maine ApplicationDecember 9, 1946, Serial No. 715;)22

3Claims; I

This invention relates to a fish slicing and cleaning machine.

An object of this. invention is'to provide a machine which willprogressively clean and-slice fish.

Another object of this invention is to provide a machine of this kind.which will operate on fish of difierent sizes.

A further object of this invention is to provide a machine which willopen the fish .by cutting a slice through the belly which is lowermostso that irrespective of the size of the fish, the belly will have thesame cut through it.

A further .objectof this invention is to provide a machine of this kindhaving adjust-able carrier belts which will automatically adjustthemselves to the thickness of the fish.

In the machine to be hereinafter described, the fish are placed in atrough at therear of the machine, and the fish initially have the headsremoved. A carrier belt moves the fish through the forward end of thetrough where the fish are gripped on the opposite sides thereof by apair of carrier belts having projecting pins so that the fish will befirmlyheld between the belts. As the fish moves forwardly, a pair ofrotary cutters cut off a slice from the belly, which is lowermost andthen rotary toothed wheels and brushesremove the insides of the fishwhile at the same time the opened fish issprayed with water. The cuttingof a slice from the belly. exposes the innards, which are now loosened,and after contact with the first toothed wheelflthe major portion of theinnards is removed. The remaining portions'of theinnards are subjectedto the water spray and the brushes, so that by. the time the fish haspassed the cleaning zone a thorough job of cleaning has been done. Afterthe fish has passed the cleaning zone, it is moved past slicing orfillet cutters where the cleanedfis'h is cut'lengthwise and the slicesare then discharged at the forward end of the machine.-

With the above and. other objects inview. my invention consists in. thearrangement, combination and details of construction disclosed in thedrawings and specification, and then more particularly pointed out in.the appcnded'claims.

In the drawings,

Figure lis a detail side elevationof &'fiSh'SI1C-' ing and cleaningmachine constructed according to an embodiment of this invention,

' Figure 2 is a detail side elevation of "the machineropposite fromthatshown in Figure 1,'

Figure 3 ,is a. sectional view takenzon' the line 3-4 of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure1,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 6--6 ofFigure 3,

Figure 7 is a detail rear end elevation'of the device,

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken.

on the line 8--8 of Figure 3,

Figure 9is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the .line 9-9 of Figure3,

Figure 10'is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line III-l0 ofFigure 9,

Figure 11 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on lineIII I of Figure 2,

Figure 12 is a fragmentary plan view of the forward end of meet theflexible carrier belts and the mounting therefor,

Figure 13 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line I3-l3'ofFigure 12,

Figure 1415 a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line l4I 4 ofFigure 11,

Figure 15 is a fragmentary plan View, partly in section, of the cleanershaft and support structure. Referring to the drawings, the numeral l5designates generally a supporting frame structure which includeshorizontally disposed longitudi nally extending top plates I6 and I!which are secured to the upper ends of supporting posts I8,

I9 and 20. The fish which are to be operated upon by this machine arefirst placed in an elongated downwardly and inwardly inclined troughgenerally designated as 2|. formed of an elongated channel shaped sheetmetal member which'issupported by means of supporting brackets 22secured to the top members I6 and I1;

The trough 2| is provided with an elongated slot 23 which extendsinwardly from' a point spaced from the rearend of the trough and theupper run 24 of an endless belt formsthe movable bottom for "the'troughin" order to move the fish lengthwise and inwardly of the trough.The belt 25 is trained overa rear idlerwheel 26 mounted on a shaft 2!which is journaled in'bearings 28.

The bearings 28 are supported on horizontally disposed angle shapedsupporting bars 29 which are secured between the posts 'I 8 and I 9.

The forward end of the belt '25 is trained over a driving wheel orpulley-30 'which'is fixed ona' shaft 3i journaled in bearings32; Thebearings 32 are fixed. to the inner end portions' of the supporting bars29 and'these supportingbars at, their inner portions "are supported'fromthe'top The trough 2| is" members I6 and H by depending supporting rodsor bolts 33 which are fixed at their upper ends to the top members I6.The rods or bolts 32 extend through the horizontal sides of the anglemembers 29 and are locked in adjusted position by means of lock nuts 34and 35, as shown in Figure 6.

As the fish moves downwardly through the trough 2| and reachessubstantially the inner end of this trough, the back of the fish isengaged by a transverse curved presser member 36 which is carried by anelongated resilient supporting arm 31 and the supporting arm 31 is fixedat its inner end to an upright support 38 which is fixed in uprightposition to the top members I6 and I1. The arm 31 is adapted to betensioned by means of an upwardly and inwardly inclined bar 39 which isfixed to the arm 31 forwardly from the rear end thereof and engages abolt 40 about which a spring 4| is mounted.

After the fish passes beneath the depressing member 36, the fish on theopposite sides thereof is gripped between theinner runs of a pair ofconveyer belts 42. The belts 42 have pins 43 on their outer sides sothat these pins 43 will be in con fronting position on the inner runs ofthe belts and will pierce the sides of the fish and thereby forciblymove the fish forwardly to the forward end of the machine. The belts orconveyer members 42 at their forward end are trained about pulleys 44which are rotatably carried by stud shafts 45. The belts 42 extendforwardly in a horizontal position and at their forward ends are trainedabout driving pulleys 46 carried by shafts The shafts 41 also havemounted thereon driving pulleys 48 about which driving belts 49 aretrained. The shaft 45 has loosely mounted thereon an idler pulley 50disposed below the pulley 44 about which a belt is trained. The belt 5|at the forward end is trained about a pulley 52 fixed on the shaft 41below thepulley 46. The belt 5| does not have the spikes or pins 43mounted thereonand is adapted to provide additional means for firmlyholding the fish in an upright position asthe fish is moved through themachine. The belts 42 and 5| also engage intermediate pulleys 53 and 54respectively, which are rotatably carried by a depending shaft 55. Theshaft 55 is carried by a horizontal swingable supporting bar 56 which isswingably supported from a transversely extending horizontal bar 51fixed between upright supporting posts 58. The rear or free ends of thesupporting bars 56 are constantly urged toward each other by means of acontractile spring 59. In this manner the inner operative runs of thebelts 42 and 5| are maintained in substantially parallel relation,particularly at the more nuts 61 are threaded on the bolt 65 so that thebelts 42 and 5| may be maintained taut.

The shaft supporting bar 60 is maintained in the desired position forfirm contact of the belts 42 and '5I with the side of the fish by meansof' aspring tensioned bar. 68 The bar68 atlts inner 4 end is formed-witha downturned portion 69 which may be pivotally engaged with the bar 68at the horizontally outwardly extending portion of the bolt 68 extendingthrough an upright angle member 16 fixed to the upper side of the topmembers I6 and I1.

A spring II is disposed about the bolt 68 and bears at its outer endagainst the angle member 10. A spring tensioning nut 12 is threaded onthe bolt 68 and bears against the spring 1|. In this manner the conveyerbelts 42 and 5| are yieldably supported at their rear ends so that fishof different thicknesses may be engaged by the belts without damage orinjury to the fish.

When the fish is gripped between the conveyer belts 42 and 5| afterhaving passed the depresser 36, the fish is moved forwardly and passes apair of rotary cutters "I3 carried by vertically disposed shafts I4journaled in bearings I5. The bearings I5 are carried by the verticalsupporting member 38 which is fixed by vertically adjustable mountings"I6 to vertical posts or stationary shafts 11 carried by the tops I6 andII. The shafts I4 are rotated by means of driving belts I8 engagingpulleys I0 mounted on the upper ends of the shafts I4, .and alsoengaging pulleys mounted on a countershaft supported by bearings 8|.

The bearings 8| are mounted on upper horizon-- tal frame bars 82 whichare carried by upright supporting posts 83. The shaft 80 is driven bymeans of a belt 44 which is trained about a pulley 85 fixed on the shaft80, and also trained about a motor pulley 86 fixed to a motor shaft 81and rotated by a motor or power member 88. The

motor or power member 88 is supported on a platform '89 secured betweenthe supporting bars 82. The rotary cutters 13 are disposed inoverlapping relation at their inner portions, substantially centrallybetween the inner runs of the belts 42 and SI and being positioned belowthe lower belt 5|,

are adapted to cut a slice from the belly of the fish are removed aftera slice has been out from the belly thereof by means of a toothed wheel93 which is mounted. on a' rotatable shaft 94. The shaft 94 is journaledthrough a bearing sleeve 95 which extends laterally of the conveyerbelts and has a pulley 96 mounted on the outer ends thereof.

The bearing sleeve 95 has mounted on the outer end portion thereof abushing 91 which is rockably supported on a pair of pivot bolts 98extending through a plate 99' which is fixedly secured to a verticalside plate I00. A pair of longitudinally spaced apart brushes I'0I andI02 extend for-- wardly from the toothed wheel 93 and these brushes aremounted in the same manner as the wheel 93. Each brush is mounted on ashaft -I03 (Fig. 10), journaled through a bearing sleeve I04. The outerend of the bearing sleeve I04 is mounted in the same manner as the outerend of the sleeve, 95, shown in Figure .15.

The sleeve I04 is yieldably supported between the ends thereof bymeansof a vertically adjustable and spring tensioned'bearing block I05 whichis vertically slidable between a pair of vertically disposed guide rodsI06 secured to a lengthwise extending supporting" bar" I01. The;supporting ascent thereofa horizontal connecting bar I08 which isvertically adjusted by means of adjusting nuts I09, and III'I (see Fig.9). A spring III is disposed between thesupporting bar I and the bearingblock I05, having secured to its upper end a bolt H2 which is verticallyadjusted by means. of nuts II3 and I Id. The lower end of the spring ;III is fixed in any suitable manner to the.

block I05 so that the-spring III will .normally urge or pull the bearingsleeve I02 upwardly. A stop" bar or'rod' H5 is dependent from. the

connecting bar I08, being vertically adjustable bymeans of adjustinglock nuts I-IIS, Ill. The

lower end of the rod I I5 is adapted to engagethe' bearing sleeve I04,th sleeve being held against the rod II5 by means of the spring -I II.In. this manner the cleaning wheels or brushes are resiliently urgedupwardly, but may swing downwardly so that these brushes and cleanermembers will beself adjusting, to provide for the cleaning of differentsizes of fish.

The'mountingv for the toothed wheel 93 and the bearing sleeve 95 isidentical with the construction shown in Figures 9 and 10 for the brushmembers IIlI and I02. As the fish, which is open at the lower side orbelly thereof, moves past the brushes I0 I, I02, the inside of the fishis sprayed with water or other cleaning fiuid which is discharged. fromspaced nozzles IIil which are connected to a supply pipe II9 disposedbeneath the conveyor members. The brushes or cleaning members arerotated by means of an endless belt I02which is trained about a drivingpulley I2! carried by the brush shaft I22 on which the brush I02'ismounted.

The shaft I03 has a pulley I23 securedthereto and the pulley I23, beingdisposed between the pulleys 96 and the pulley I2-I, is rotated in adirection opposite from the rotation of pulley I2! by disposing a pairof idler pulleys I24 and I25v on opposite sides of the pulley I23 sothat the idler pulleys I24 and I25 will press the upper run of the beltI20 downwardly into driving engagement with the pulley I23. The shaftI22 also has fixed thereto a pulley I26 about which a belt I2! istrained and the belt I2! is also trained about a pulley I28 carried by alower countershaft I20. The countershaft I29 is operatively connectedwith the upper countershaft 80 through a belt I to engaging over theupper pulley I3I carried by the upper shaft 80 and a corresponding lowerpulley I32 (Fig. 3) mounted on the shaft I29.

When the now cleaned fish passes the last cleaning brush I02, it ismoved past a rotary fillet member or cutter I33 carried by a shaft I34which is journaled in bearings I 35. The bearings I35 are mounted on asupporting bar I36 fixed between a pair of uprights 83. The shaft I3 hasfixed thereon a pulley I35a about which a belt I3! is trained and thebelt I31 is also trained about a pulley I38 fixed on the upper countershaft 80. An idler pulley I39 engages one run of the belt I3! so as tomaintain this belt taut.

The belts 40 which drive the coziveyer belts are trained about pulleysI40 mounted on a forward countershaft MI. The countershaft MI isjournaled through a pair of bearings I42 carried by a horizontallyadjustable plate I43. The plate I 43 is horizontally adjustable on asupporting bar I44, being adjusted by means of an adjusting nut I 45extending through a vertical ear I46. The shaft MI has a pulley I47fixed thereon cutter I33- andta'belt l' lll isi trained about the pulleyI41,

and engages a pulley mounted on the upper shaft 00-. idler pulley orbelt tensioner I49 engagesone run ofthebelt -I-40.-to maintain this beltin a taut condition.

The conveyen' ZEsisoperated from the upper shaft 00 by means of a beltlfifl'which is trained about a pulley I5! on the shaft and about apulley I52-mounted on the shaft 3!. An idler pulley I53 engages thelower run of the belt I50. and-maintains this belt taut. The rear endsof th conveyer members 42 and BI are shielded by means of; rearwardl-yextending shields 555 which. extend from the supporting member 38. Thefillet cutter I33-has disposed thereover a shield I55carriedby asupportI50 and a forward downwardly and forwardly extending shield I57 en-.

gages the forward portion .of the cutter I33 so that the operator ofthis machine will not be ableto. come into direct contact with thefillet split by means of the cutter I33, the. fish will.

leave the forward ends of the conveyer members 4-2 and 5|, and will thendrop downwardly onto achute I58uand will pass from the chute 158' sothat the fish cannot slip relative to the con veyor beltsand. the lowerbelt 5| Will hold. thefish in. upright position. The fish will pass overthe first cutter 73 where the belly of the fish will beslicedofi leavingthe inside open and, after.

passing thebelly, cutters I3 and toothed wheel- 93 will enter the insideof the fish and removethe innards.- The fish will then pass forwardlywhere the spray nozzles II8 will spray water or other fluid into theinside of the fish, and moving forwardly the brushes IM and I02 willprogressively engage inside the fish to thoroughly clean the inside.When the fish has passed the last cleaning brush I02 it will contact thefillet cutter or splitting member I33 which will lengthwise cut the fishthrough the back thereof. The sliced pieces of the fish will then dropfrom the forward ends of the conveyers 42 and 5| and slide downwardlythrough the chute I58.

I do not mean to confine myself to the exact details of constructionherein disclosed but claim all variations falling within the purview ofthe appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A fish cleaning and slicing machine comprising a frame, conveyormeans for moving the fish in a horizontal path with the belly of thefish in a lower projecting position, said conveyor means including pairsof conveyor belts disposed with the inner runs thereof in parallellaterally spaced apart relation, mounting means yieldably and adjustablysupporting said belts for accommodating varying sizes of fish, meansdisposed below said conveyor means for cleaning the fish as it movesalong the horizontal path, and mounting means for yieldably andadjustably securing said cleaning means to said frame, said mountingmeans including a pair of spaced apart vertically extending guide rodsfixed to said frame, a bearing block rotatably carrying said cleaningmeans and slidably supported between Afer the fish has been lengthwise7, said. guide rods, a horizontal connecting bar carried at the top ofsaid guide rods for vertical adjustment relative thereto, spring meansconnected at one end thereof to said connecting bar and at the other endthereof to said bearing block for constantly urging said bearing blockupwardly, and vertically adjustable stop means engaging between saidconnecting bar and said bearing block for limiting the upward travel ofsaid block, whereby the position of said cleaning means may be adjustedto accommodate varying sizes of fish.

2. A fish cleaning and slicing machine com prising a frame, conveyormeans for moving the fish in a horizontal path with the belly of thefish in a lower projecting position, said conveyor means including pairsof conveyor belts disposed with their inner runs in parallel laterallyspaced apart relation, each of said conveyor belts being trained about aforward and rear pulley, laterally yieldable and longitudinallyadjustable mounting means for supporting each of said pulleys on saidframe and accommodating said conveyor means to fish of varying sizes,said mounting means including a vertically extending pulley shaftcarried by one end of a horizontally swingable bar, the other end ofsaid bar being pivotally mounted on a belt tensioning member carried bysaid frame for longitudinal adjustment relative thereto, spring meansconnected to said frame and to said bar for constantly urging said shafttowards the.

center of said frame, and means for adjusting the tension of said springmeans whereby said inner runs of said conveyor belts are laterallyyieldable and adjustable relative to said frame.

3. A fish cleaning and slicing machine comprising a frame, conveyormeans for moving the fish in a horizontal path with the belly of thefish in a lower projecting position, said conveyor means including pairsof conveyor belts disposed with their inner runs in parallel laterallyspaced apart relation, each of said belts being trained about a forwardand rear pulley, laterally yieldable and longitudinally adjustablemounting means for" supporting said pulleys on said frame andaccommodating said conveyor means to fish of varying sizes, saidmounting means including a pair of forward and a pair of rear verticallyextending pulley shafts for carrying said pulleys, each of said shaftsbeing mounted at one end of a horizontally swingable bar, the other endof each of said bars bein pivotally carried by a plate slidably mountedon said frame, means engaging said frame and said plate forlongitudinally adjusting said plate relative to said frame, and springmeans for constantly urging said one end of each of said bars toward thecenter of said frame, said spring means including a member secured tosaid frame, threaded means fixed to said bar, a coil spring disposedabout said threaded means and having one end thereof abutting againstsaid member,

and means on said threaded means for abutting against the other end ofsaid coil spring for adjusting the tension thereof.

EMIL RIVERS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

